394: 35 Whelen, 444 Marlin, & Magnum Muzzleloaders From CVA With Brad Watts
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Release Date: 10/23/2025
422: Best Rangefinding Binoculars? Leupold BX-6 Range HD + New VX-4HD & VX-5HD Gen 2 Scope
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
In this episode, John sits down with the Leupold team to explore their exciting 2026 hunting optics lineup, headlined by the all-new BX-6 Range HD 10×42 rangefinding binoculars. This flagship optic delivers best-in-class glass, industry-leading Hornady 4DOF ballistics with real-time environmental sensors, precise GPS pinning to OnX and other mapping apps, and ranging out to 6,000 yards. The conversation also covers the updated VX-5HD Gen 2 riflescopes featuring tool-free SpeedSet dials, increased elevation travel, and competition-grade adjustments, plus the brand-new VX-4HD series that fills...
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421: AR-15s, AR-10s, and NULAs: What Hunters Need from Wilson Combat's Lineup
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
John McAdams sits down with Sebastian Mann of Wilson Combat to explore the company’s rich history, innovative rifle lineup, and commitment to building firearms that hunters actually use in the field. Sebastian shares a memorable childhood story of receiving a custom lightweight 1911 from Bill Wilson himself, then dives into Wilson Combat’s evolution from 1911 pistols to modern AR-15s, AR-10s, and the ultra-light NULA rifles. The episode highlights models like the Tactical Hunter and Tactical Ultralight ARs, the performance-driven 300 HAM’R cartridge optimized for hog hunting, and the...
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420: Mountain Lion Hunting Cartridges, Bullets, & Strategies With Jim Myers
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Long time listener Jim Myers joins me on the show today to talk about mountain lion hunting: cartridges, bullets, and his tactics that have resulted in him successfully harvesting a mountain lion in 4 out of the past 5 years despite living in a state where hunting mountain lion with hounds is illegal. Sponsor: Make sure you’re signed up for my email list by going to . You’ll get my free E-BOOK when you do so and you’ll also receive the emails I send out every weekday. If you like The Big Game Hunting Podcast you’ll love those emails. Join the Big Game Hunting Podcast...
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419: 257 Weatherby RPM With Richard Mann
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Field & Stream shooting editor and 25 caliber aficionado Richard Mann joins me in this podcast episode to discuss the new, SAAMI standardized 257 Weatherby Rebated Precision Magnum. Richard discusses the origins of the 257 RPM, some of his experiences shooting and hunting with it, how it compares to the 25-06, 25 Creedmoor, and 257 Weatherby, and what the new Weatherby cartridge offers hunters. Sponsor: Make sure you’re signed up for my email list by going to . You’ll get my free E-BOOK when you do so and you’ll also receive the emails I send out every weekday. If you like...
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418: Tyler Freel’s Near Death In The Backcountry + 22 ARC & 22 Creedmoor
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Tyler Freel had a brush with death on a recent hunt in Idaho and he joined me on the podcast to discuss the incident, his injuries, and what his recovery has been like. We also finish with an in-depth discussion on his recent work with the 22 ARC, 22 Creedmoor, and 220 Swift and how they all stack up next to each other. Sponsor: Go to and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday. Please hit that “SUBSCRIBE” or “FOLLOW” button in your...
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417: Double Rifles, 500 NE & Elephant Charges With Jeff Rann
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Jeff Rann, one of Africa’s most legendary professional hunters with nearly 50 years guiding dangerous game, joins me on the podcast to share his incredible stories of hunting elephant in Botswana. He takes us inside what it’s really like to track big bulls, get in as close as 20–30 yards for precise brain shots, face down real charges, and judge trophy ivory on mature animals while navigating the country’s massive and growing elephant population. We also finish with an in-depth discussion on the conservation realities in Botswana, why controlled hunting of bulls plays a vital role, and...
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416: 416 Caliber Cartridges With Terry Wieland
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Gunwriter Terry Wieland joins me on the show as we discuss his thoughts on the various .416 caliber cartridges: the 416 Rigby, the 416 Remington Magnum the 416 Weatherby Magnum, the 416 Ruger, and even the 416 Hoffman and the 416 Taylor. We talk about the pros and cons of those different rounds, which 416 he prefers over the others out of that bunch, how those 416s stack up against the various 375s and 458s for use on buffalo, why the 404 Jeffery was vastly more popular than the 416 Rigby for a long time, and why that eventually changed. We even discuss the development of the Ruger Safari...
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415: 10 Best African Safari Book Recommendations For Hunters
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Today, I’m unveiling my definitive list of what I think are the 10 greatest African hunting books ever written. This list of African safari book recommendations includes works from people like Hemingway, Roosevelt, Ruark, Capstick, and other legendary writers. These Africa hunting books have everything you could ask for: heart-pounding adventures, adrenaline soaked drama, close calls that will make your knuckles turn white and even a few deliciously scandalous tales of betrayal, courage, cowardice, possible murder, more than one love triangle, one very good dog, and lots of talk about...
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414: Leopard Mauling To Sudan Bongo Hunts with Robin Hurt
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Legendary Professional Hunter Robin Hurt joins me on the show today as we discuss some of his adventures hunting all over Africa like Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Zaire, Zambia, and Namibia. As you can imagine from a man who got his PH license over 60 years ago in 1963, Robin has quite a few stories to tell about some of his wild adventures over the years and that’s what we discuss in this episode. Sponsor: Go to and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and...
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413: Following In The Footsteps Of Ernest Hemingway With Griffin & Howe
Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!
Dan Rossiter from Griffin & Howe joins me on the show to talk about the fantastic hunting rifles the company produces. Of note, Griffin & Howe produces rifles ranging from near replicas of those famous hunters like Ernest Hemingway took to Africa last century, to modern long range hunting rifles, to bespoke American made rifles on par with the “best” quality custom rifles produced by British gunmakers. We discuss all of this in more detail during this interview along with the specifics of their current production rifles and and what sets the company apart from competitors in the...
info_outlineBrad Watts, the director of marketing for CVA, joins me on the show to talk about the diverse array of muzzleloaders and rifles CVA produces. Of note, CVA currently produces a number of rifles in more esoteric cartridges like 35 Whelen, 444 Marlin, and 400 Legend. Not only that, but they also produce other rifles and muzzleloaders that are in compliance with very specific hunting regulations in states like Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, and Oregon. And finally, they also produce plenty of more conventional rifles and muzzleloaders as well. We discuss this in more detail during this interview along with the specifics of their current production rifles and muzzleloader and what sets the company apart from competitors in the industry.
Sponsor: Sign up here to receive a 10% off promo code for all products CVA sells directly from their web site (including their rifles, muzzleloaders, and accessories).
Join the Big Game Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all my bonus material (including a larger 15% off CVA discount code I provide to Patrons at the highest level of support) at www.patreon.com/biggamehunter
In this episode of The Big Game Hunting Podcast, host John McAdams sits down with CVA director of marketing Brad Watts to discuss CVA muzzleloaders and rifles in detail.
They dive deep into the various hunting rifle and muzzleloader models the company makes, what sets them apart from the competition, and how they offer firearms for hunters in states with very specific regulations (like Idaho and Illinois).
Their takeaway? CVA produces rifles and muzzleloaders that offer an exceptional value to their customers and are suitable for many different situations.
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Resources
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